MICHIGAN CITY - Sometimes a fake ID is used by a teenager wanting to buy alcohol or play pöker. But not always. Sometimes it's used by people not wanting to be found for serious crimes - so serious, Interpol sends out alerts and judges are shaken from sleep for paperwork. "Apparently, all the bells and whistles went off," MCPD Capt. Larry Kunkel said of a situation that began late Friday and continued into early Saturday morning. Michigan City authorities found themselves in the middle of that bit of international intrigue after taking a man into custody. That man is apparently wanted in the country of Colombia for "dangerous terrorism."
The incident began Friday at Blue Chip Cas1n0 when Indiana Gaming Police arrested a man going by the name "Antonio Cruz" for using false state identification. According to an incident report filed by MCPD Lt. Mark K. Zummak, identification papers for Cruz indicated he was born Jan. 30, 1976. Another piece of identification indicated he was Carrillo Luis, born Aug. 25, 1962. Cruz indicated to authorities he was in the country illegally. He had been living in Wyoming, Mich., a town just southwest of Grand Rapids.
As Zummak began making reports to federal and international authorities, he was told there was a lot of interest in Cruz. An Interpol official in Washington, D.C., the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center all stressed keeping Cruz in custody. He may be wanted for crimes, and he may be sought in the U.S. for deportation processing. At 4:20 a.m., ICE issued a detainer against Cruz. That detainer can keep him held for a period of 48 hours until a federal agent can take custody of him. Due to the holidays, though, that likely won't happen until Wednesday. However, the 48-hour period does not include weekends nor does it include federal holidays, including Dec. 25.
Immigration officials said Cruz' ID indicates he may be, or be related to, Antonio Carrillo Cruz - a man wanted in yet another country. "To get someone like that in the middle of the night ... to wake up a judge and get a temporary hold on him, it had to be important," Kunkel said.
Messages left with the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center were not immediately returned Sunday night. A Wyoming, Mich., phone listing for Antonio Cruz had been disconnected. Cruz is being held in La Porte County Jail through the holidays. |